aerial view of a power plant
Do you have a new dust collection project? One of the first, and most important questions to ask is, what's the right dust collector for my application? Reliable dust collectors are critical for the optimal operation of most industrial and manufacturing facilities. Choosing the right dust collector can ensure high air quality. Without an appropriate dust collector, particles can clog up your equipment, contaminate products, reduce overall operational efficiency, and put worker health at risk.

There are three standard dust collector designs: baghouse, cartridge, and bin vents. The best design for your needs is dependent on specific aspects of your dust collection process. This can include the following:

  • What is the type of dust you are filtering?

  • Do you know your expected dust volume?

  • Do you have size restrictions for the dust collector?

  • Are there emissions requirements you need to follow?

  • What's the temperature of the surrounding environment?


3 Main Types of Dust Collectors


The three most common dust collectors are baghouses, cartridges, and bin vents. Each type exhibits different characteristics.

Baghouse Dust Collectors


The most widely used style of dust collector is a baghouse. They are usually larger than other types of dust collectors and well suited for high volume and high temperature applications.

Baghouses use fabric bags to capture dust particles in the gas or the air moving through the system. When contaminated air pulls through the filters, it catches the dust and clean air is expelled.

Cartridge Dust Collectors


Instead of fabric bags, cartridge dust collectors use a filter made of pleated media. Spun-bond polyester, nanofiber, and an 80/20 substrate are the most common filter medias on cartridge filters. Treatments like PTFE, fire retardant, and water or oil resistant coatings can also be available.

Cartridge dust collectors house it's filters in a sealed chamber, and this is where dirty air pulls through the cartridges. It then traps the dust, thereby allowing clean air to be expelled. The pleated surface of a cartridge filter provides efficient filtration because there is more surface area available. This makes it optimal for filtering fine particles and fumes. Cartridge dust collectors are also compact and can be installed in confined spaces.

Bin Vent Dust Collectors


Silos and other large containers typically have bin vents installed on top. Their purpose is to vent displaced air during loading. A pneumatic or compressed air system propels material into the silo or container. Afterwards, the bin vent filters the displaced air as it flows out of the container while it keeps an airtight seal. A bin vent ultimately prevents dusting and loss of product during the loading process.

Advantages of Dust Collectors


Depending on the needs of your application, each type of dust collector offers unique benefits.

  • Baghouse dust collectors: Baghouses offer filtration of large to moderate sized particles. This is ideal for use in manufacturing and industrial settings that filter a large amount of material on a regular basis.

  • Cartridge dust collectors: Cartridge collectors are ideal for applications that require the filtration of smaller particles on a reduced scale. The pleated construction and versatile media of cartridge filters allows them to easily adapt to specific applications. In addition, they are smaller than their baghouse counterparts and can be easily installed in confined spaces.

  • Bin vent dust collectors: Bin vents are great for bins or containers that need to filter the air being expelled from the top. They are compact and their filters can be also be easily changed.


Dust Collector Applications


An extensive range of industries use dust collectors. Their use is dependent on the particular needs of an application.

  • Baghouse filters: For use in high volume and high temperature applications such as lumber milling, automotive manufacturing, mining applications, and foundries.

  • Cartridge filters: Useful for applications with fine particles and fumes such as welding, laser cutting, wood processing, agriculture, and fiberglass processing.

  • Bin vent filters: Specialized and highly valuable for silos, storage containers, and other high dust and material holding applications.


Dust Collectors from U.S. Air Filtration


When you choose the right dust collector for your application it plays a part in the efficiency of your facility. If you would like to learn more about dust collector designs, you can download our "Dust Collector Purchasing Guide" eBook or watch this video "How Much Does a Dust Collector Cost?". If you would like to speak to an equipment specialist, click here to contact our experts or request a quote.

https://youtu.be/TYrkXPmEHFQ

Get in Touch

 We understand that every dust collection project is unique and requires a specific approach. For help with your air pollution control needs, reach out to one of our knowledgeable team members below.